Permian Basin holds steady at 229 rigs

By Trevor Hawes thawes@mrt.com

Published 8:30 pm, Friday, October 30, 2015

The number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the Permian Basin was unchanged this week at 229, according to the weekly rotary rig count released Friday by Houston-based oilfield services company Baker Hughes.

District 8 idled three rigs, lowering its count to 138. Midland County fell two rigs to 30. Ector County held steady at one.

For rigs operating in other areas of the Permian Basin, there were three in District 7B, unchanged; 33 in District 7C, unchanged; 15 in District 8A, up one; and 40 in New Mexico, up 2. The Texas total was 189, down two.

The Permian Basin had 562 rigs at this time last year.

TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO

Texas was left with 339 rigs this week after seven were idled.

The Eagle Ford closed the week with five rigs, down two, and the Haynesville finished with 25 rigs, down one. The Granite Wash added one rig, raising its count to 13. The Barnett was unchanged at six.

New Mexico's statewide count was 42, up two.

At this time last year, there were 901 rigs in Texas and 100 in New Mexico.

UNITED STATES

The U.S. rig count fell 12 this week to 775. The number of oil rigs plunged to 578 after 16 rigs were idled. The number of natural gas rigs ended the week positive after four rigs were added, raising the nationwide total to 197. Miscellaneous rigs were unchanged at zero.

This week, there were 738 rigs on land, down 11; four in inland waters, up one; and 33 offshore, down two. The Gulf of Mexico had 32 rigs, down two.

By drilling trajectory, there were 112 vertical rigs, up three; 577 natural gas rigs, down 14; and 86 directional rigs, down one.

The U.S. had 1,929 rigs a year ago this week.

TOP 5s

The top five counties by rig count in District 8 this week were Midland; Loving with 24, up four; Reeves with 23, unchanged; Martin with 15, down two; and Howard with 12, down one.

The top five basins were the Permian; the Eagle Ford; the Williston with 63, down one; the Marcellus with 43, unchanged; and the Cana Woodford; unchanged.

The top five states were Texas; Oklahoma with 84, down six; Louisiana with 71, down two; North Dakota with 62, down one; and New Mexico with 42, up two.

CANADA AND NORTH AMERICA

Canada ended the week on the plus side, adding one rig to raise its nationwide total to 191. There were 84 oil rigs, unchanged; 107 natural gas rigs, up one; and zero rigs listed as miscellaneous, unchanged. Canada had 429 rigs at this time last year.

The total number of rigs operating the North America region fell 11 this week to 966. There were 2,358 rigs in North America a year ago this week.

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